Their First Christmas
by sunsetsoverwater
Summary: The Troubles are gone, so Audrey and Nathan can finally spend their first, real Christmas together. Feel free to enter for pure, Christmas Naudrey fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters or this world. I just like to be a part of it sometimes

 **Author's Notes:** This is all A/U. I love, love, love the idea of Paige, and I'm sure I'll write about something with her and Nathan soon, but I know we need some straight up Naudrey over here. So, let's just pretend she didn't have to go into the Barn at the end of the series, and instead got to stay with Nathan. And the Grey Gull still exists, because, come on. Love that place.

Also, this is only lightly beta'd because I'm going to try to get this all out fairly quickly, so all dumb mistakes are my own. I'd suggest following it if you like it, so you know when I update it.

And be warned, there really is no plot or story to this. Just pure, Christmas fluff.

 **Summary:** The Troubles are gone, so Audrey and Nathan can finally spend their first, real Christmas together.

* * *

 **Their First Christmas**

As it soared through the streets, it had its destination picked out. It whistled past the Welcome to Haven sign, and paid little attention to the people it bothered who were trying to hustle into their church service. On Queen Street, it rushed by Haven Joe's bakery, and the building which once housed the Haven Herald, kicking up leaves and other debris which people shielded their fresh bake goods from. It flew through the gazebo by the water, before circling back and flying by the windows of the Rust Bucket. The patrons inside barely noticed its presence, and instead continued to focus on their mugs of beer and other libations. Undeterred by the snub of the Rust Bucket's patrons, it continued on, circling through the darkening town, and down by the water. Soon, the Grey Gull was in its sights, and it swirled around the grey building, kicking up dust from the parking lot, and causing the flaming outdoor fires to swirl and almost go out. The people around the fires shielded themselves from the dancing flames, but it ignored them, instead continuing up the stairs to swirl around the apartment upstairs. The apartment was dark and cold however – its inhabitants clearly not around – so it flew off the back balcony, and continued on its journey. Bypassing the town now, it continued along the waterline, and eventually its destination was in sight. At the end of a long street, right next to the water, was a little yellow colored house, with lights burning brightly, and smoke pluming out of the chimney. As it neared, the curtains parted, and a pair of bright blue eyes, framed by curls of blond hair peeked out to survey the landscape. With its target in sight, it picked up speed down the little road, kicking up everything in its path, eventually slamming into the piece of glass separating it from the woman within.

Audrey jumped as the wind slammed into the window and shook as a shiver ran through her body. "Brrrrr. It looks terrible out there."

"Parker, just get away from the window, and come sit by the fire. You'll feel better."

Audrey turned around and looked at Nathan who was sprawled out on the couch in front of the fire. Their dog, Bella, had already taken her spot next to Nathan, with her head on Nathan's lap, and Audrey knew she would have to fight for the spot. The Troubles hadn't been gone very long – wounds were still a little fresh from what was lost, and who was lost – but they had tried to move on. And, as such, after they got things settled at the police station, and Nathan reclaimed his title of Chief after Dwight decided to retire to spend time with Lizzy, the two had taken off for a couple of weeks to just spend time together. There was no agenda, and there were no deadlines. They didn't have to live in constant fear that one or the other would have to leave to save the world, and there were no Troubles rearing their ugly head. They had time to just be Nathan and Audrey. Two orphans in a world who had somehow found each other over time and space, and were finally able to experience the normalcy of life. They could take Sunday afternoon drives up the coast, and could really take their time as they wandered through the Farmer's market. And partway through their time together, Nathan had come home one day with Bella in tow. He had always said he wanted them to have a rescue dog, and didn't want to waste any time. Bella immediately settled right on in, and just like every female in Haven, was instantly drawn to Nathan, and Audrey found herself fighting for position half the time. But, it didn't matter. They were a family, and things were normal.

As the window shook once again behind her, Audrey shuddered again, and moved towards the couch, watching as Nathan shooed Bella out of her spot. She sat down, and curled up against Nathan, and got lost in the dance of the flames of the fire before her. When a log popped exceptionally loud, Audrey jumped, and was answered with Nathan's chuckle.

"A little jumpy there, Parker? Aren't you supposed to be a cop?"

Audrey could feel her cheeks begin to burn a little, but she smiled. "I don't know what you're talking about. I was just dozing, and it woke me up."

"Mmmhmm."

When she noticed Bella looking suspiciously at the fire as well, Audrey felt a little better about being startled.

"So, since you're so busy dozing, are you too tried to open this?"

At the mention of opening something, Audrey pulled herself away from Nathan so she could look at him, and saw he was holding a red envelope in his hand. She could feel her heart quicken, because even though Christmas was right around the corner, she hadn't even thought of what to get Nathan. Pretty much her whole existence in Haven had consisted of one life threatening moment after another, so shopping for the holidays had never really been on her mind. Even for Nathan's birthday last week, she didn't have to shop, but then, it did happen to fall fairly quickly after his Trouble went away, so with his heightened sense of touch, he was more than happy with pancakes and her for his birthday. Thinking about that night/morning brought a smile to her face, and only his voice brought her out of her musings.

"What are you thinking about?"

She was caught, but she didn't care. "Your birthday."

Nathan grinned and leaned in for a kiss. "Hmm, that was a good day."

When he leaned back and smirked at her, Audrey couldn't help the warm feeling of contentment which swirled around inside her. So, this is what being in a normal, domestic relationship felt like. She could definitely get used to this.

"So? Did you want to open this?"

The anxiety of not having a gift for him once again bubbled up, but Audrey reasoned with herself that she still had a couple of days until Christmas, and could more than likely sneak out during lunch tomorrow to buy him something. Maybe a few new henleys. He looked really good in the ones he did have… "Hand it over." She reached for the envelope and looked at the front, noting her name encircled by a heart. Nathan was so sappy out of the public eye, and she loved it. She flipped the envelope over, and pushed her finger under the flap, sliding it across to loosen it. Once open, she pulled out the card inside, and quickly scanned through the information. It was a certificate for a four night stay at The Manor Inn, the super fancy hotel a few miles out of Bangor. The Inn was one of those places you would see on Best Hotel websites and such, but nothing Audrey ever thought she would stay in. It had been around for over a hundred years, and rumors were always swirling about it being haunted. The fine people of Haven never let that bother them however – since haunting was a real thing in their town.

"Nathan, this is amazing! When are we going?"

Nathan couldn't help his grin at Audrey's enthusiasm. He was really looking forward to spending their first Christmas together, and he couldn't think of a better place to spend it than at the Inn, and the fact that she seemed just as excited, made it even better. Growing up, he had always heard people talking about the Inn, but it was never a place his family would spend the money on, and as he grew older, the Troubles kicked in, and spending time at the fancy hotel never seemed appealing. But when he started researching potential gifts for Audrey, and Laverne had mentioned the Inn, nothing else could compare. And as he looked at pictures of the hotel on their website, and saw the old frozen pond they had for ice skating, and the giant fireplace, he knew exactly what they needed to do for Christmas. "We leave tomorrow after work, so we'll be there for Christmas."

Audrey looked down at Bella. "But, what about Bella?"

"I already talked to Gloria about it, and she's going to watch her. So, it'll be just you and I for a few days to relax, and enjoy the scenery."

She didn't want to be, but Audrey knew she should at least act like she was being practical. "But, we were just gone for a few weeks. Don't we need to be at the station? You are the Chief, after all."

Nathan had to grin. He could tell Audrey was trying hard to not show her excitement, and be an adult, but deep down he knew she was bouncing with joy. "Exactly, I'm the Chief, so I can come and go as I please. Especially since all we're dealing with now, are cats in trees."

It all seemed so long ago when she had said words to him just like that, and in a way, it was a really long time ago. But it was nice to know that they really were just dealing with cats in trees, and it really didn't matter if Haven's two best officers happened to skip out a lot. And if anyone asked her, she would have denied the squeal of excitement she let out when she threw her arms around Nathan's neck to hug him, before pulling back to kiss him soundly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters or this world. I just like to be a part of it sometimes

 **Author's Notes:** This is all A/U.

New chapter! Merry Christmas, everyone!

Also, this is only lightly beta'd because I'm going to try to get this all out fairly quickly, so all dumb mistakes are my own. I'd suggest following it if you like it, so you know when I update it.

And be warned, there really is no plot or story to this. Just pure, Christmas fluff.

* * *

 **Chapter Two**

Audrey didn't care in the slightest that they looked like tourists, and knew deep down Nathan didn't care either, even though he made a point of grumbling under his breath about having to stop, but she couldn't help it. As they drove through the winding roads, they had come to a clearing where the Inn stood out against the backdrop of nature surrounding it, and the sky was still just high enough that it reflected off the swirling clouds above the Inn, creating an ethereal view. And, since it was dark, all the lights in the Inn were shining bright, and the sight was spectacular. So, naturally, she needed to take a picture of it. And, since it was the new rage, she had to make sure she took a picture of her and Nathan with the hotel in the background. She loved taking pictures of them together. For the longest time, the only one they had of them together was the one which sat proudly on her desk. She wasn't even sure how it had ended up there, but she was glad it did.

After taking more than several more pictures, and Nathan asked if she was done, Audrey nodded in affirmation and started to trudge back around the car. The snow was deeper up here than it was in Haven, and a little slushy, and when she went to round the corner of the Bronco, Audrey felt her foot slide out from underneath her, and suddenly she was on her side. "Dammit."

"Parker! Are you ok?" Nathan already had one foot in the truck when he saw Audrey's head disappear behind the hood of the Bronco, and he instantly feared the worst. They were miles away from the closest hospital, and the last memory he wanted them to have for their first Christmas, was spending it in a hospital room. He jumped back out of the truck and ran around to see Audrey rolling over to her knees, and he bent down to wrap an arm around her back. "Are you ok?"

"I think so." Audrey made to stand up, and was grateful for Nathan's extended hand, and his support to get up. As she stood, she could feel a slight pulling sensation on her right thigh, and she absently rubbed it. There might be a bruise there later on tonight, and when pins and needles shot through her leg as she touched it, she knew for sure it wasn't going to be a pretty bruise. She leaned down to brush the snow off her knees, and frowned as she realized how wet they were. Well, they were almost at the hotel, so she could just change. But as she continued brushing, a thought struck her. "Wait, where's my phone? I had it in my hand…" Audrey started glancing around the area where she fell, but couldn't see it.

Nathan glanced around a couple of times, but not seeing her phone, he dropped to his hands and knees to look under the truck. Invariably, whenever something was dropped in cold weather, it would slide to the most inconvenient place. He scanned the area, and sure enough, he saw her phone. "I found it." Nathan flattened out on his stomach, desperately trying to ignore the cold slush soaking into his shirt since he had forgotten to zip up his jacket – he was still getting used to actually feeling anything – and pushed himself under the truck. Thankfully his long arms enabled him to reach the phone without him having to crawl too far under the truck, but as he retrieved it, he could feel how wet it was, and he instantly worried for its life. Pulling himself out, he stood up and looked at the phone, and sure enough, it was soaking wet. It must have ended up in one of the more melted areas on the street. "Not too sure it survived, Parker." He handed the phone over, and hated the frown that spread across her face.

"All our pictures are on here."

Nathan wrapped his arms around Audrey, and pulled her close. "Don't worry about it. We'll ask the hotel if they have some rice, and we'll leave it in that overnight. It'll be fine by morning." He loved being able to feel her nod against his shirt, and hugged her a little closer. Everything could be fixed.

"You're all wet and cold."

Her words muffled by his shirt and jacket made him laugh. "I know. Come on, Officer Fall Down. Let's get to our room and change." Nathan pulled back and wrapped an arm around Audrey's waist, leading her to her door and helped her in. The last thing he wanted was for her to fall again before they made it to the hotel. When he closed her door, a gust of wind hit him, causing him to shiver, so he zipped up his jacket before rounding the truck to his side.

The rest of the ride to the Inn was uneventful, but Audrey could feel her thigh starting to throb. She was going to have to put some ice on it soon, and she was a little worried about how deep the bruise would be. That damn snow. As much as she loved the area, she wouldn't be sad if Nathan told her they were moving down South tomorrow. Eventually they rounded the corner towards the Inn, and drove past the towering gates, which were brightly lit. Audrey leaned forward in her seat, and her mouth formed into a giant O as she took in the grandeur of the hotel. Seeing it in pictures was one thing, but actually seeing it in person was quite another. As they neared the front doors, Audrey could feel the waves of money and sophistication rolling off of the place, and took note of the expensive cars pulling in, and parked off to the side. She glanced down at the floor of the cab, and tried to kick a few of the discarded coffee cups under the seat, to try to at least make the Bronco a little presentable to their valet driver. They pulled up beside the front door, and a young man jumped out and rounded the truck to Nathan's side.

"Good evening, Mr. Wuornos! Can I help you and your wife with your bags?"

Audrey shot her eyebrows up at the young man's insinuation, but in reality, she wasn't at all offended by it. In fact, it was kind of nice to be called Nathan's wife. As she thought about it, that same warm feeling of contentment she had last night once again started swirling in her stomach, and to cover up her smile, she reached down for her knitted hat to put on before climbing out since her door had been opened by another young man. She didn't miss his quick up and down look of her, and inwardly smiled. It was always nice to be noticed. But as a familiar hand found its spot on her lower back, she grinned even more, and looked up into the baby blue eyes of her boyfriend.

Nathan nodded his head towards the door. "Come on, Parker. Let's go get checked in, and get into some dry clothes."

Audrey nodded, and walked towards the doors which were pulled open by the doormen, and faintly heard their valet telling Nathan the luggage would be up to their room in a few minutes. Having luggage delivered to the room was a far cry from the memories of Audrey Parker being on the road that Audrey had. Back then, it was all Motel 6's where you brought up your own luggage. Hell, in some of those hotels, you were even lucky if there was an elevator. But this hotel…this hotel was amazing. When she walked it, Audrey just had to look up at the enormity of the room. It was amazing, and the focal point was a giant Christmas tree, which was absolutely real, because even with the constant opening and closing of doors, the whole place smelled like an evergreen tree. Audrey had to close her eyes and just breathe in deep. This place was incredible. There were white Christmas lights everywhere, along with garland, wreaths, and countless glass ornaments. The entire lobby was spectacular, and she could only imagine what the rooms would look like. She once again felt Nathan's hand at the small of her back, and she walked beside him up to the front desk where they were greeted by a young woman who had to have been in her early 20s.

"Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Wuornos!"

Audrey shot a glance up at Nathan, but he wasn't fazed in the slightest by the greeting. In fact, she was pretty sure she saw a faint smile on his lips. It was curious however, how all the hotel staff knew who they were. There had to have been hundreds of people checking in tonight. She would have to ask Nathan later on if he had called ahead or something. Or, maybe it was just something that happened at expensive hotels – they just knew their guests.

"My name is Julie, and I'm here to help you with whatever you need. We have you all checked in, staying with us for four nights. And I have you in a room in our South tower, on the fifth floor, overlooking the water. Jason will be bringing you your bags shortly. Will you need anything else from us?"

Nathan looked down at Audrey to see if she needed anything, but when she shook her head, he looked back at Julie, shaking his head as well. "No, I think we're good. Thank you, Julie."

"My pleasure! Here's your key, and a map of the hotel."

Audrey watched as Julie flattened out a small map on the front desk, and took out a highlighter, tracing a line as she spoke.

"We are right here, and to get to your room, you go down this hallway here, and over the cross bridge. Once there, you'll take the elevators up to the fifth floor, and you can follow the signs from there. Over here is our main sitting room, and here is our Parlor room with full cocktail bar, this is our private dining room, which is open until 11, but room service is available 24 hours. And this door here is how you get to our outdoor skating rink. We have skate rentals at the pond. If you get lost, or have any questions, feel free to come find me!"

"Thank you so much." Nathan took the hotel map from Julie, and reached down for Audrey's hand, threading his fingers through hers. He glanced down at her and grinned, and then buried his nose in the map of the hotel. As easy as Julie had made it seem, the place was a maze, and the last thing he wanted to do was get the two of them lost. He'd never hear the end of it.

Mercifully, he managed to navigate the twists and turns of the place and got them to their room, but he was fairly positive if Audrey asked him to get ice from the ice machine, he'd have an easier time just going outside and getting some snow than actually finding his way back to wherever the machine was. He put his key in the door, and pushed it open, and silently thanked whatever god there might be that the room was as beautiful in person as it was in the pictures. Laverne had definitely helped him on this one. The room was small and cozy, lined with rich wood, giving it a cabin-like feel. There was a large bed, which sat next to a wall of windows overlooking the rocky coastline. Since it was dark, all that could be seen, was the moonlight shining off the water and waves below. Opposite the bed was a huge fireplace which was already burning brightly, making the room warm and comfortable. Just beyond the fireplace was a door which led into the bathroom, which Nathan knew held a tub big enough to easily fit two people – one he fully intended on using while here.

"Wow, this is beautiful, Nathan."

Audrey's voice interrupted Nathan's surveillance of the room, and he turned around to see her eyes slowly sweeping the room before landing back on his. She was still all bundled up in her parka and scarf, but was starting to unwind herself from the scarf. As she did, she dropped it to the floor, and walked slowly to Nathan, raising her hands to frame his face and bring his lips softly down to hers.

"Thank you for this."

He smiled against her lips as he raised his hands to frame her face as well. "Merry Christmas, Parker." He pulled away a bit, only to rest his forehead against hers for a moment, but was interrupted by a slight knock at the door. "That's probably our luggage. Why don't you get out of those wet pants, while I deal with this."

Audrey nodded, and stepped back from Nathan, peeling out of her parka which she dropped on the bed on her way to the bathroom. She heard the door to the room open, and the low rumblings of two men talking. Ignoring their voices, she headed straight to the giant tub, immediately turning on the faucets. While the warmth from the fireplace was definitely starting to seep into her bones, she was still shivering from her wet jeans. Once the water was running at the decent temperature, Audrey unbuttoned her jeans, and slowly peeled them down her legs. While the fitted jeans were definitely the style at the moment, getting them off on a good day was tough – and getting them off when they were wet, well, it definitely required some finagling. As she shimmied out of them, her fingers grazed her thigh, and she drew in a sharp intake of air through gritted teeth. Not wanting to look, but knowing she had to, she looked down at her thigh, and sure enough, there was a bright purple bruise already blooming. It was going to be a bad one. Audrey kicked her way out of jeans, and turned to look at the bruise in the giant mirror.

"Parker, did you want to head down to the dining room after we've…oh wow, that looks painful." Nathan pulled up a bit as he walked into the bathroom. He had heard the water in the tub start running as he was talking to Jason about his and Audrey's luggage, and had wanted to see if Audrey wanted dinner before relaxing in the bath. Because, in all reality, once he got her out of her clothes, he had no intention of letting her put them back on until morning. But when he saw the bruise already forming on her thigh, he realized how hard she must have fallen, and suddenly a night in might be the better plan. Maybe he would have to be going on that hunt for ice after all.

Audrey looked up at Nathan's reflection in the mirror before dropping her eyes back down to her leg. "Can we just stay in tonight? I'm already running a bath for us anyways."

Nathan tugged off his wet shirt and walked towards Audrey, pulling her back into his chest. "Of course. Why don't you stay here and order some room service, and I'll go hunt down some ice for that leg of yours. And don't forget to see if they'll bring up some rice for your phone." He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and made eye contact with her in the mirror.

"Are you sure you can find your way to the ice machine? I know how you are with maps."

" . You're hysterical. I'll be right back." Nathan gave Audrey one last squeeze and then headed out into the room to grab another shirt before making the trek to find the ice machine.

After only getting slightly lost, and making a slight needed detour to the lobby, Nathan returned to find Audrey wrapped up in fluffy white robe, signing the room service bill.

"There you are. Was it really that hard to find?"

Nathan did not miss the smirk on the waiter's face that he was trying to hide, nor did he miss the teasing glint in Audrey's eyes. "I'm here now, aren't I? And looks like I had perfect timing. Was I really gone that long?"

The waiter politely smiled at Nathan, "Oh no, sir. We pride ourselves in quick delivery. Please, enjoy, and call if you need anything else."

Audrey followed the waiter to the door, closing and locking it behind him as Nathan disappeared into the bathroom. She started to uncover all the dishes, and when Nathan emerged, he was wrapped up in a similar robe to the one she was wearing.

"How hot is that bath water?"

"I ran it as hot as it would go. I figured it would be the perfect temperature by the time we finished eating."

After sitting side by side in front of the fire and munching on everything Audrey ordered, and Nathan forcing her to leave ice on her thigh, they rose and moved towards the bathroom. Audrey reached down into the tub to test the water, and was pleasantly surprised to find she was right – the water was the perfect temperature. She went to untie the sash on her robe, when Nathan's husky voice whispered in her ear. "Let me."

She shivered as his breath puffed over her ear, and closed her eyes as he reached around her, to untie the sash, and slowly peel off the robe, letting his fingers trace down her skin from her neck and down her arms, until the robe pooled at her feet. His fingers then carefully traced up her thighs, and she felt herself being pulled into his embrace as his mouth left a hot trail of kisses down the side of her neck. She tilted her head to give him better access, and reached up and behind her to hold his head. Slowly, she turned in his embrace, and pushed her hands under his robe to feel his bare skin. As his robe fell to meet hers on the floor, she reached up to pull his lips down to hers, letting their tongues dance. Reluctantly she pulled away, and licked her lips, tasting him, and she smiled as she looked into his eyes. They were quickly becoming that dark shade of blue only she saw, and she knew without a doubt hers were mirroring his.

Turning back towards the bath, Audrey grabbed Nathan's hand, and let him hold her as she stepped into the hot water. He slid in behind her, and they laid there in companionable silence, enjoying the feel of each other's bodies until the water started to cool. As it did, Nathan got out and grabbed one of the large, fluffy towels, and wrapped it around Audrey as she stood and climbed out of the tub. He made sure she was good and dry before toweling himself off, and then picked her up, careful not to press against her injured leg, and carried her to the bed, where they two got lost in each other as the fire burned brightly in front of them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters or this world. I just like to be a part of it sometimes

 **Author's Notes:** This is all A/U.

Also, this is only lightly beta'd because I'm going to try to get this all out fairly quickly, so all dumb mistakes are my own. I'd suggest following it if you like it, so you know when I update it.

And be warned, there really is no plot or story to this. Just pure, Christmas fluff.

I think there's probably one more chapter on this one. Hopefully I'll get that to you tomorrow. :) Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

Waking up wrapped in a cocoon of Nathan's arms and down-filled blankets was pretty much heaven. So far, the whole trip had been pretty much heaven. Moments like this were what she had dreamed about since she first started falling in love with the little town of Haven. While true, initially she hadn't dreamed it was Nathan she would be sharing all the moments with, it soon became very apparent to her, it could only be him. And that's when the world started collapsing around them. Audrey blinked her eyes a couple of times. No, now was not the time to be melancholy, and besides, everything that had happened had brought them to this moment, so while some events left deep physical and emotional scars, she and Nathan had survived, and now they could be just the two of them, enjoying a wonderful Christmas together. Yes, all was ok with the world. When Audrey shifted to stretch, Nathan tightened his arms around her, and nuzzled Audrey's neck. "Merry Christmas Eve, Audrey."

"Mmmm. Merry Christmas Eve, Nathan." Audrey snuggled back closer to Nathan's warm skin. As she did, his hands started wandering up and down her skin, setting her body on fire, and she could feel his growing excitement pressing against her. Because she wanted exactly the same thing, she turned in Nathan's arms, and set about making her morning heaven that much better.

...

"So what do you want to do today?"

Audrey broke open the yolk of her sunny side up egg, and started to mix it into her hash browns. Once everything was suitably mixed, she took a huge forkful and shoved it in her mouth. She was starving. They were getting a later start than they usually did, so technically, she had missed breakfast, and their morning activities only added to her hunger.

"I can't believe you didn't get the pancakes."

After swallowing her food and taking a sip of coffee, welcoming the liquid caffeine to her bloodstream, Audrey shook her head and smiled. "Nathan, I need some protein. I need to have my energy levels up to make it through the next couple of days." When Nathan reached across the table to thread his fingers through hers and squeezed, Audrey smiled. Yes, this was definitely heaven. "Besides, we still have a few more mornings here. I can have pancakes then."

"You should. You're missing out." Nathan reached across to put his fork in Audrey's food, and stole some of her creative hash. "But really, what did you want to do today?"

Audrey narrowed her eyes as she watched Nathan take some of her food, so she reached across and took a piece of his pancake. They really were quite good. So far, there was nothing about this hotel that could disappoint. She looked to her left out of the wall of windows and looked out over the water below. The sun was shining brightly, and it looked to be fairly nice outside. "Why don't we walk around the grounds today? Isn't there supposed to be a path along the shoreline that leads to some stores?"

Nathan nodded and stole another bite of her hash. Maybe he would have to deviate from pancakes tomorrow and get a similar breakfast. The eggs really were better than usual. Maybe he should consider Audrey's admittance of needing protein. "Sounds like a great idea. Then, I hope you don't mind, but I made reservations for us to have dinner here at the hotel."

"I don't mind at all, why would I?"

"No reason." Nathan shrugged and went back to his meal, quickly sopping up the last few pieces of pancake with the warm maple syrup. "You going to eat that last piece of bacon?"

Audrey looked down at her plate and considered. The bacon was fantastic, and she really did want it, but she was close to being overfull. And if she let Nathan have it, maybe he wouldn't put up a fuss if she bought a new blanket for his – their – house. She loved the house, and loved him, but it was such a bachelor's house. He also hadn't upgraded much of his blankets in years – which is understandable when one can't feel the blankets – but if she was going to continue living there, she needed a few girly, fluffy blankets to curl up into. Maybe she could get a coat for Bella, too. Nathan felt dogs looked ridiculous in coats, but it was getting cold, and no matter how much fur Bella had, Audrey was worried she was cold when she went outside. She was also hoping there was a bookstore, because she needed some new books. All of hers had been lost, so any opportunity to get new ones was always welcome. "No, you can have it." The lopsided grin Nathan shot her way in thanks was also worth the loss of the salty treat.

...

The walk around the grounds was beautiful, and the path along the shoreline was fantastic. Nathan teased her endlessly as they picked their way down a steeper section about her being careful not to fall, because he wasn't going to carry her back up to the hotel if she did. Audrey ignored him though, because while he was teasing her, he had a death grip on her hand, and another wrapped around her waist, so she knew no matter what, she wouldn't be falling. She absolutely loved how overprotective he was of her.

The shops, like the hotel, did not disappoint. As they wandered from store to store, Audrey took note of various items she would eventually like to buy – but didn't need today – and others she absolutely wanted to come back for before they made their way back to the hotel. She and Nathan stopped for a light lunch – Nathan told her not to fill up, which was out of the norm for him to do, but she figured he was just making sure she would be able to fully enjoy dinner tonight. After breakfast, and while Nathan was getting ready, Audrey had taken the time to review the menu for the hotel restaurant, and everything on there sounded absolutely fantastic. In fact, she had been thinking about it off and on all day as to what she would finally choose. There were so many choices, they might have to go back there tomorrow night for dinner as well, even if it was a little expensive. It was Christmas after all. If she and Nathan weren't going to spend their money on each other now, when else could they?

Another favorite stop was a vendor selling maple syrup hardened on snow. Nathan of course wanted it immediately, and Audrey couldn't disagree. She had read about the treat being famous in Canada, but had never seen it before. It was of course, amazing, and the only thing that prevented she and Nathan from having more, was the vendor had sold out before they made it back.

With the sun starting to fall, Audrey dragged Nathan back to the stores which held the blanket she had found, and the one with the coat for Bella. Nathan hadn't said a word about the blanket, but did roll his eyes at the coat. Audrey just grinned, and bought it anyways. It was too cute to pass up.

As they ascended the steep areas, Nathan once again held on to Audrey's waist, making sure she wouldn't fall, and didn't let go until they were safely back at the hotel, where they dropped their packages off at the front desk to be taken back to their room. From there, they made their way down to the dining room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Wuornos, thank you so much for joining us tonight! Your table is ready for you."

Audrey looked up at Nathan when the host used the greeting on them. Did she and Nathan look that much like a married couple? When all he did was wink down at her, and that usual flutter of warmth filled her stomach, Audrey decided she didn't care. She smiled back, and took his offered hand, and followed the host to their table, which was near the back of the dining room. As they walked up to it, the first thing Audrey noticed was the view. The table sat right next to large windows which looked down onto the shoreline they had just walked, and she could see the twinkling lights of the shops in the distance. It was then she realized how far it was she and Nathan had walked that day. She thanked the host who offered her chair to her, and sat down, immediately feeling the warmth of the large fire behind her on her back.

Nathan watched as Audrey lost herself in thoughts as she looked out the window to the view beyond them. He didn't need to see it though. What he wanted to see was sitting right in front of him, and he was so happy he was able to spend this Christmas with her. So far, everything had been working out amazingly well. The hotel had been incredibly accommodating for his requests so far, and as he saw their waiter come up to the table holding a large tray with their piping hot food, he smiled. Everything was going as planned. Audrey was so enamored by the view, she hadn't even noticed their table was already pre-set, and already held large glasses of red wine. But, the smell of food would entice her out of her reverie. "Audrey, I hope you don't mind, but I pre-ordered for us."

Audrey looked away from the window to look at Nathan, and was startled to see their waiter arriving with food. It was then she noticed she already had wine in front of her, and now realized why Nathan had asked earlier in the day if she minded him making reservations. He had obviously already put all of this together, and was making sure he wouldn't have to cancel it. Her whole body flooded with warm contentment, and she knew she never wanted to leave Nathan's side again. Nothing would take her from him.

"Ma'am, your lobster."

Nathan watched as Audrey's eyes widened in surprise at the plate put in front of her, and looked up to thank the waiter as his own plate was put down. The grin that split her face made all his worries melt away. Since the moment she was able to stay with him, and the Troubles disappeared, he had vowed to make her smile as much as he could, and this was one of the best smiles he had coaxed out of her so far. He sorted. Of course it would be food that would bring out a smile like that.

"Nathan, this is fantastic! But…how? They don't have lobster on the menu."

"How do you know what's on the menu?"

"I'm a cop, remember? I have incredible investigating skills."

Nathan could only grin. "That you do. I wanted to make sure Christmas was special, so I called ahead and made sure they had some for you. I know your love for lobster."

The man was just too much sometimes. Audrey put her napkin on the table, stood up, and walked over to Nathan, framed his face with her hands, and kissed him soundly. "I love you."

When she pulled back, Nathan searched her eyes, and replied, "I love you too."

Audrey sat back down and promptly dove into her lobster, eventually ignoring the desire to be polite, and used her fingers to pry out every single piece of meat she could get at.

Nathan watched as she ate, slowly sipping his wine, and eventually closed his eyes for a moment to revel in the heat coming off of the fire. Sometimes, it was still the small things he felt that meant the most. He opened his eyes again, and continued watching Audrey. "After we finish, how about we walk down to the pond and go ice skating? It's a beautiful evening out there."

"Sure, that sounds fantastic."

"Great. Hey, would you excuse me for a minute? I'll be right back."

Audrey nodded, and tilted her head up as Nathan walked around to her and dropped a light kiss on her lips before moving towards the front of the dining room. As he walked away, she picked up her wine glass and focused her attention once more on the lights outside. The combination of the wine and the warmth from the fire, in addition to her full belly was making her sleepy, but she knew Nathan wanted to go skating, and she knew it would be fun.

"Sorry about that. You ready to go skating?"

Audrey turned away from the window and looked up into the deep blue eyes of her boyfriend. "I am. Let's go."

The walk down to the pond was beautiful, and Audrey made sure to hold on tight to Nathan so she wouldn't slip. Yesterday was an anomaly, but one could never be too careful. At the pond, they walked to the little skate rental shop, and sat down on the freezing benches to lace their skates. There were only a few other couples out there, and just one family with kids. The kids were having a marvelous time, but Audrey soon heard the mother tell them they needed to get going and get back to the room and bed so Santa wouldn't miss them. At the mention of Santa, the two kids started pushing each other to be the first one back to the bench to remove their skates, and Audrey couldn't help but chuckle. It was always so nice seeing normal families doing normal things.

Nathan held Audrey's hand tight for the first few loops around the pond, but soon realized she had her footing, and so began to do a couple of faster loops, and skating backwards. He soon found himself lapsing back into his hockey warmups from when he was a kid, and only stopped when he glided back towards Audrey, who was merely watching him and smirking.

"You showing off?"

Gliding right up to Audrey, Nathan pulled her into his arms. "Sometimes I have to remind myself that there are a few activities that I'm better at than you are. Skating being one of them."

"Hmmm."

He touched his lips to hers, and even through the cold of his own face, could feel how cold hers was. He pulled up his jacket sleeve slightly to look at his watch, and then looked back down at Audrey. "It's getting late, and more than a little cold. Did you want to head back to the room?"

Audrey tipped her head back and pushed out a heavy breath into the night sky, seeing it cloud immediately. Yup, it was definitely getting more than a little cold, and as she looked over towards the full moon, she could see clouds starting to gather. It looked like a storm was building. "Yeah, that would be good."

The two skated over to the frozen benches, and shoved their warm feet into their now frozen boots, causing Audrey to shudder. "I hope there's hot chocolate in the room. I didn't notice if there was this morning."

"So much for your incredible investigating skills."

Audrey leaned slightly away from Nathan, and swatted at him, hitting him on the arm. "Hey."

"Come on, Officer Fall Down. Let's go." Nathan stood up and offered Audrey his hand, and once she was up, he bent over to retrieve their skates. He handed them back over to the attendant, and with Audrey beside him, started trudging through the snow back up to the hotel.

"Wow, look at the stars, Nathan. They're so clear out here."

Nathan stopped to look up as well, and couldn't help but agree at Audrey's statement. "Look over there." He pointed towards a star cluster. "You can see Orion."

Audrey nodded. "It's beautiful." After looking at the star-filled sky for a few moments more, a slight breeze blew by, and Audrey remembered how cold she was. "Come on, let's go."

The two walked to the hotel, and up to their room. As Nathan unlocked the door, Audrey leaned against him, and couldn't even stifle the yawn. She had done more today than she had in weeks, and she was ready to fall into their bed. Maybe she would pull out the blanket they had bought today and wrap herself in that for a while. Yes, that sounded like a good plan. When Nathan pushed open the door, she walked inside, and smiled when she saw the fire was once again burning bright. She would have to leave a tip for their room attendants, because coming back to a roaring fire was amazing. As she started to move towards the warmth to thaw out her fingers, something caught the corner of her eye, and she turned her head towards the small table, next to which was a stand which held a bucket containing a chilling bottle of champagne. Tilting her head at the unexpected addition to the room, Audrey moved closer, and realized the small table was covered in long-stemmed red roses. Nestled in amongst the roses was a small plate of chocolate covered strawberries, and a small, wrapped present. She turned back to Nathan with confusion in her eyes. "Nathan?"

He merely shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know. Santa must have come to our room early. Whose name is on the present?"

Audrey walked to the table, and lightly ghosted her fingers over the soft petals of the roses before picking up the small present. "It says, 'To Audrey'." She looked back at Nathan, who snorted.

"Well, it must be for you then. I'm going to have to talk to Santa about not leaving me anything."

Audrey rolled her eyes and then looked back down at the present.

"Open it."

She didn't need to be told twice, and quickly turned the present over to get to the folded paper to grip and tear away. Dropping the paper to the floor, Audrey could feel her heart start to beat wildly as she pulled the top off the small, red velvet box she held. Inside was a glistening diamond ring, and when she pulled it out of the slot it sat in, her eyes started to blur from the tears which began to form. The light from the fire bounced off the diamonds, and it took everything in her power to tear her gaze away from the ring to look back at Nathan. As she did, she noticed he had moved right next to her, and when they made eye contact, Nathan took the ring from her, and bent down on one knee.

"Audrey Parker, will you marry me?

Throughout her time in Haven, Audrey had many moments where she felt like her heart was going to burst. Moments that ranged from the worst of the worst, to the best of the best. And this, this moment was absolutely the best of the best. And so with tears of joy streaming down her face, and her nose starting to run, because it was finally starting to unthaw from the cold outside, she looked down into the impossibly blue eyes of her boyfriend, and nodded. "I thought you'd never ask."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own these characters or this world. I just like to be a part of it sometimes

 **Author's Notes:** This is all A/U.

Also, this is only lightly beta'd because I'm going to try to get this all out fairly quickly, so all dumb mistakes are my own. I'd suggest following it if you like it, so you know when I update it.

And be warned, there really is no plot or story to this. Just pure, Christmas fluff. Ok, maybe a slight story evolved.

We've made it to the end! Thank you so much for reading. This one was a lot of fun to write.

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

When Audrey woke up, every single muscle in her body felt heavy, but in the absolute best, possible way. She couldn't even be sure what time it was, because Nathan had pulled the heavy drapes closed the night before. Their busy day had turned into an even busier night, but there was no way Audrey would complain - especially when she came out of the bathroom at one point to see Nathan standing in absolutely nothing but a Santa hat. That was a mental image she burned into her memory to keep with her for all time. If her phone wasn't sitting in night two of rice, she most definitely would have taken a picture. Where he got the Santa hat? She would never know, and he refused to tell her, just offhandedly mentioning at one point Santa must have left it behind when he dropped off the ring.

Audrey turned around in Nathan's arms, careful not to disturb him, so she could curl into his side, and run her fingers through his chest hair. He didn't wake as he once used to when she did this. He once explained to her that with his Trouble, her touch was similar to an electric shock, like what you would get after shuffling around in socks on a cold day, and then touching something metal. The first time she touched him would always make him jump, but the more she did, the more it would dull into a normal feeling. However, as he went longer and longer without his Trouble, and subsequently, longer and longer with being able to feel everything, he was starting to lapse into the habits of a usual man, who could literally sleep through everything. Once in a while Audrey would miss his instant reaction to her, but then she would quickly realize this normalcy was exactly what she and Nathan had been fighting for for so long.

As she continued to run her fingers through the soft curls on his chest, she couldn't help but focus on the ring now taking residency on her finger. She stopped her ministrations to hold her hand up, trying to catch it in what little light was sneaking past the edges of the drapes. Unsuccessful, she dropped her hand back to Nathan's chest, and tilted her head up so she could press a kiss to the pulse point on Nathan's neck. His stubble was longer than usual, and felt scratchy on her lips. Sighing in contentment, she snuggled a little further down into the blankets, and closed her eyes, once again allowing exhaustion to take over.

Nathan woke awhile later, but kept his eyes closed, taking a few moments to take stock of the situation. Audrey was breathing soundly beside him, so he knew she was still asleep and he had time to just feel. It was these quiet moments in the early morning he craved the most – those moments when everything was still and quiet. He was sure it was much later than early morning, but the ambiance was the same. As such, he shifted ever so slightly to feel the sheets slide across his skin. When he moved slightly, he could feel the cooler area of sheets that weren't touching either he nor Audrey. He pushed his head down a little firmer into his pillow, and could feel the softness of the pillow giving way to his weight, but pushing back as he lifted his head again. He could feel the cool air of the room brush across his face, and knew he should get up to light the fire to warm up the room. But the best thing he could feel was the soft body beside him. Sure, it was a body he had been able to feel for close to a year now, but that didn't lessen the impact. He slowly raised his hand which was curled around her body so he could run his fingers through her hair. He always loved the blond curls, and how soft they always were. Her skin was warm from his body heat and the blankets, but he could still feel small goosebumps rise has he trailed his fingers along her skin. The even better feeling however, was the dull heavy metal of the ring on her finger, which was now resting on his chest. He reached up to grasp her hand in his, and when he threaded his fingers through hers, he loved the feeling of the ring against his skin. As he did, he could feel Audrey begin to wake up, her body shifting and stretching, and then he felt her nuzzle his neck, and he sighed in contentment. Finally, he opened his eyes and looked down at her and smiled. Absolutely everything they had been through was worth it for this exact moment. "Merry Christmas."

"Mmmm, Merry Christmas." Audrey's voice cracked from non-use, and she cleared her throat and tried to swallow. "What time to you think it is?"

"Does it really matter?"

"I guess not."

Nathan pulled Audrey close and kissed the top of her head. "Did you have any idea of what you wanted to do today?"

"Hmmm. I could just stay here all day." Audrey flung a leg over Nathan, and pulled herself even closer.

"We can do that."

The two laid in companionable silence for a few moments before Audrey spoke. "Is that why the hotel staff kept calling me Mrs. Wuornos?"

"Hmmm?" Nathan had already started to doze. "Is why, what?"

"The hotel staff. They've been calling me Mrs. Wuornos the whole trip so far. Is it because they knew you were going to ask me to marry you? But wait, even that doesn't make sense."

Nathan chuckled. "No, that wasn't why. This is technically one of the honeymoon suites, so I'm assuming that's why. They didn't know I was going to ask you until yesterday evening when I asked them to set up the room for us."

"I thought you said Santa left me my ring."

"Him too."

"Why did you book the honeymoon suite?"

"Why not? Have you seen this room? It's incredible. Laverne pointed it out to me."

"Hmmm. I'm going to have to thank Laverne when we get back."

Nathan pulled Audrey closer to him and kissed the top of her head. "Yes, I think I need to as well." When he shifted again, he could feel the cool air once again brush against his skin. "Here, let me go relight the fire." Nathan shuffled out of bed, and shivered a little at the cold air. It was amazing how much warmer it was next to Audrey. After getting the fire roaring once again, he stood up to admire his handiwork, and looked back to Audrey, who had flipped over onto her stomach and was watching his every move. The grin on her face just did things to him. "Enjoying the view?"

"Immensely."

Throwing a wink in her direction, Nathan moved towards the window, stopping only to pick up the Santa hat he had found the night before and pulling it on his head. Once at the window, he pulled open the heavy drapes and couldn't believe what he saw. "Wow."

Nathan's exclamation had Audrey shifting her view from him to the view beyond him. "Wow." It was a winter wonderland out there. Thick, heavy snow was flying through the air, and while from her viewpoint she couldn't see much of anything else, she assumed they must be buried. Those clouds last night had looked ominous, and apparently her observations had been correct. "So, about that idea of staying here all day…" Audrey couldn't help the laugh which escaped when Nathan turned towards her, and launched himself at her. This whole being engaged thing was amazing.

...

Not only had they missed breakfast, but lunch as well, and it was Audrey's loudly protesting stomach which finally convinced Nathan they needed to get out of bed. After each taking down a plate of pancakes, Audrey and Nathan made their way to the giant hearth fireplace and curled up next to one another on one of the large couches. The hotel staff had warned them that much of the area was closed due to the storm, but it was expected to blow over overnight. As such, they took the opportunity to sit and relax, Audrey reading one of the books she had bought the day before, and Nathan working on one of the puzzles the hotel kept on hand for days just like this. They both sipped from their glasses of wine, and munched on plates of meat and cheese. Audrey eventually put down her book and shifted closer to Nathan, helping him to put together the puzzle.

Hours later, with the puzzle done, and wine buzzing through their veins, the two sat curled together on the sofa, watching the snow fall, talking about everything and nothing at the same time. They knew without a doubt they would have many, many evenings such as this one, where they would sit and talk, watch the snow fall, and not have a care in the world. They knew they deserved it.

When the wine started to wear off, and it was getting close to closing time for the dining room, they snuck in for a late dinner, sharing absolutely everything. Still tired from the day before, they walked hand in hand through the quieting hotel to their room, where once again they fell asleep in each other's arms.

...

"I can't believe this is our last day here."

Nathan sliced through his sunny side up eggs, and mixed them in with the hash browns. Once they were suitably mixed, he took a sip of his coffee and looked up at Audrey, who was sitting across the table from him, munching away on a plate of eggs benedict. "So, let's make the best of it. How about we go tobogganing?"

"Nathan, you hate tobogganing."

That statement was both true and untrue. He loved tobogganing, but hated the memory that came from the last time he went as a kid. It was time to make a new memory. "Not if I went with you."

Audrey's answering smile was everything, and the two finished eating in companionable silence before heading back to the room to gather up their coats, scarves, hats and mittens. At the rental desk, Nathan selected a variety for them, so they could either go on separate sleds, or on a big one together.

The two played for hours in the snow, acting like big kids. Sometimes they raced each other, sometimes they sat together. Sometimes Nathan would show off by going off a jump one of the kids had made, and other times Audrey would try to race him up the hill. The sun shining was keeping them warm, and it was only when it started to sink in the sky that they realized how long they had been out.

"Nathan, I'm freezing, can we go in?" Audrey was lying in the snow, which wasn't really helping her be warm, but she was breathing hard, and exhausted from all the trips up and down the hill.

Nathan crunched through the snow to his fiancé and extended a hand to help her up. "I was hoping you would say that. It's getting late, anyways. Come on."

Audrey reached up for Nathan's hand, and let him pull her up and into his arms. She wanted to kiss him, but her face was frozen, so she settled on hugging him instead. Leaning down, she picked up her sled, leaving the others for Nathan.

Once back in the hotel, there was a line of people returning their sleds, so Audrey handed hers to Nathan. "Here, while you return these, I'll head to the bar to get us some hot chocolate."

Nathan leaned down to drop a kiss on Audrey's lips. "Sounds like a plan. I'll meet you there."

Audrey walked through the hotel towards the bar, and ordered drinks for she and Nathan, and found a couple of chairs by the fireplace. She was just pulling her hat off when a familiar pair of arms wrapped around her middle, and Nathan's lips pressed a soft kiss to her neck.

"Good choice in location. And hot chocolate? Wow, this feels just like when I was a kid."

"Well, until you taste the hot chocolate. There's some adult goodness added to it."

Nathan looked quizzically at Audrey, but when he picked up his mug and breathed in deep, he could smell the peppermint Schnapps in it. He took a sip and let the warmth of the liquid spread through his body. He sat in the oversized chair, and grabbed Audrey's hand, pulling her to sit with him. Curled up together, they sipped at their drinks, and watched the fire dance in the fireplace.

"We should grab some dinner and then start packing. We should get on the road kind of early in the morning to avoid the traffic, and get home at a reasonable time."

Audrey nodded, thinking over the past few days. The past few, absolutely wonderful days. "Thank you for bringing me here, Nathan. This was the perfect Christmas gift."

"You're welcome. This was a pretty great Christmas."

"It really was."

...

Audrey sighed as Nathan handed over the valet ticket. This was it, their vacation really was over. But as she held her hand up and looked at her ring, she realized the memories from this vacation would last the rest of their lives.

"Ma'am, would you like me to take a picture of you and your fiancé in front of the tree?"

Audrey looked away from her ring to see Julie looking expectantly at her. The tree! Yes, a picture of her and Nathan standing in front of it would be amazing. "Yes, that would be fantastic. And…"Audrey fished in her jacket pocket for her phone, "…my phone is amazingly alive. Here." She handed over the phone to Julie, and took Nathan's hand, pulling him to the tree. She stood wrapped in his arms, making sure her left hand could be seen in the picture. Why not? This was a good of time as any to be cheesy. Julie took a few shots, and let Audrey look at them before releasing them.

As Audrey walked out of the hotel, and towards the Bronco, she looked down at her phone, and realized that she finally had another picture of her and Nathan together to put on her desk, and she couldn't wait to do it. Their first Christmas together had been perfect, and she had the picture to prove it.


End file.
